Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-05-14
WACO.
The Maifest Hardly a success-Romance
Connected with annie Thomasson.


Connected with annie Thomasson.
Special to the Gazette.
WACO, TEX, May I3.-For several days
it had been published that "Maifest''
would take place to-day, and it did. But
when the affair got under way it was seen
that it was simply an effort to give the
prohibition cause a boost The M al
fest proved fasco in many respects,
but the procession contained some sug-
gestive and significant features. ItWas
a small procession numerically, but what
| it lacked IN size was made up in sugges-
tiveness. 1t moved up Austin avenue at
IL g. M, and proceeded to Padgett's park.
The attendance was small, perhaps q
hundred all told. The names of several
prominent gentlemen had been an
nounced to deliver orations, but not one
OF them put in an appearance. The
small crowd spent the day on the grounds
with various amusements and ball and
pyrotechnic display wound up the
Maifest. The crowd tonight was some
what larger than that during the day.
| It is simple Justice to the i-prohibi-
| tionists to state that most of them,
especially the leaders, Sisclaim that the
affair was in any sense a formal or au-
thOrized anti demonstration. They say
that it was simply an ebullition that has
no significance in connection with the
anti movement and campaign.
A brief report was sent THE GAZETTE
yesterday of the trial of DR.. Peters and
Annie Thomasson on the charge of mis-
Cegenation. The trial developed some
rather startling if not romantic facts.
The state endeavored to prove that Annie
| ThomsssOn had negro blood Sin her
veins and therefore her marriage with
DR.. Peters, he being white
man and knowing her to be a muletress,
subjected both to the penalty of inter
marriage of the races, which is felony
When the trial came on the defense SET
UP the bold theory that Annie Thomas
son, instead of being a negro, is the
daughter of ChoctaW Indian, with white
parentage on the male side. All the ef-
forts and testimony of the state could not
shake this position, and the Jury acquit, &c
DR.. Peters and Annie, whose lawfu
title as DR.. Peters wife now stand IN
questioned. The testimony, which is toe
voluminous to give in detail, showed tha
Annie Thompson was the daughter O
Nancy Brown, or Mcdonald, Choctav
woman, whose tribe resided IN Tennes
see. 1t is now oyer fifty years ago tina
the stribe was migrating. One day
Nancy got separated from them anC
was seen and kidnapped by negro
trader, who sold her into slavery at Aber
deem, Miss, from whence she wa
brought, as slave, to Waco, where he
daughter Annie was born, also as
slave, and so held until the close of tn,
war. The testimony was listened t.
with great interest, many old citizens be
ing on the stand to give testimony
call was issued to-day for meetiL!
> of business men tomorrow night t.
make the final arrangements for purchas
ing ground and erecting Merchants Elk
change building thereon. Two hundret
and fifty shares, at 800 each, of tn
stock have already been taken, but it i
desired to make up 800 shares or $4,000
and this will no doubt be done withou
any difficulty at tomorrow nights meet
ing.
Hon. H'O. Head of the Fifteenth judi
cial district, who has been presiding her
for the last two weeks, returns home to
night at Sherman. Judge Head, durin
his brief stay here has made q host c
friends. The lawyers have nothing Blu
praise for his department. as Judge.